In February, after a year-long review, federal officials decided tentatively to not approve the procedure but asked for public opinion before they made their final decision.
Advocates for the virtual colonoscopy say that the procedure, which is less invasive than traditional colonoscopy, would encourage more people to be screened for colon cancer. According to the Times article, more than 50 percent of adults are not screened for this cancer, and it remains the second-deadliest cancer in the United States.
Opponents argue that while the procedure may be half as expensive as traditional colonoscopy, virtual colonoscopy is ineffective at detecting small polyps. In addition, if polyps are detected, patients must undergo a second traditional colonoscopy procedure to remove them. This is common in around 20 percent of patients, according to the Times article.
Whether Medicare with cover virtual colonoscopy remains a highly political issue. Medicare, which will spend $500 billion this year according to the article, is under pressure to cut costs. In addition, the cost of scans is increasing. Medicare spent $14 billion on scans in 2006, which was double of what it spent in 2000. Many who consider virtual colonoscopy ineffective argue that funding the procedure is wasteful spending, according to the article.
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